Nancy Grasmick can keep her job as the state schools superintendent and continue working as the nation?s longest-serving appointed schools chief, despite lawmakers? attempt to oust her.
The state board of education voted Tuesday during a three-hour, closed-door session to renew her four-year contract, an announcement met with thunderous applause and triumphant whoops from superintendents and state education bureaucrats.
“I am absolutely dedicated to the children and adults we serve and I am blessed every day to work with the incredible staff,” said Grasmick, who makes $190,000 a year. “I certainly respect this board more than I can say.”
Legislative leaders asked the state school board to delay Tuesday?s vote on whether to re-appoint Grasmick, who has served the past 16 years.
A delay would have given Gov. Martin O?Malley enough time to appoint more members to the board, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and Speaker of the House Michael E. Busch wrote in a letter sent Monday night to Dunbar Brooks, state school board president.
In September, O?Malley said on the radio that he wanted to replace Grasmick, saying he lacked trust in her.
As Baltimore City mayor, O?Malley and Grasmick, an ally of former Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich, battled over the state?s blocked attempt to take oversome of the city?s struggling schools.
By delaying a vote until July, the governor could have appointed more members to the state board of education and have a majority on the board.
If this current appointment process continues, “no new governor will ever have any input into the selection of the state superintendent,” the letter says.
As the state?s top pre-K-12 official, Grasmick has pushed for more school accountability through testing.
Grasmick trumpeted students? rising test scores and graduation rates during her time as superintendent.
“I?ll continue to focus on the accelerating academic performance of students,” she said.
“I?ll work on helping students? ability to be competitive with students all over the world.”
Grasmick first worked as a teacher of deaf children at the William S. Baer School in Baltimore City. She then served as a teacher, principal, supervisor and superintendent in Baltimore County.
Gov. William Donald Schaeffer appointed her secretary for children, youth and families in 1989 and, in 1991, the state school board appointed her superintendent.
When Gov. Parris Glendening took office in 1995, he tried to oust Grasmick, but his board picks became Grasmick supporters instead.
